THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS: A Gathering of Flowers—The Anthology of The Mamas & The Papas. CD

Though A Gathering of Flowers was put together by ABC/Dunhill Records in 1970 immediately after the demise of the Mamas & The Papas, it was much, much more than the typical record label greatest hits collection cash-in. Not only did the 20-song double-album include classic ‘60s cuts like “California Dreamin’,” “Monday, Monday,” “I Saw Her Again,” “I Call Your Name,” “Creeque Alley” and “Dedicated to the One I Love,” but it served as something of an audio documentary of the band, offering rehearsals, outtakes and interview snippets from John Phillips and Cass Elliot in between the tunes. The boxed-set also offered a photo-packed, 16 page booklet with excellent liner notes by Andy Wickham alongside the dozens of rare images, all of which we have reproduced here on Real Gone Music for this historic collection’s CD debut. Composed of four outsized personalities – Cass Elliot, John Phillips, Michelle Phillips and Denny Doherty – the Mamas & The Papas were always about more than just the music; A Gathering of Flowers preserves and presents their full legacy better than any single-CD anthology available. Remastered from the original tapes by Mike Milchner at SonicVision.